Have you recently discovered your love for horse racing and want to learn all about it? Well, here is everything you need to know about horse racing in Hong Kong.
Horse racing is one of the biggest sports when it comes to sports gambling. Some notable events on the horse racing schedule include the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Cheltenham Festival Prestbury Cup, which you can learn more about at British Racecourses, and the Hong Kong International Races, attracting some of the world’s top horses and trainers.
While betting on races is popular among racegoers, many non-betting events are held at the tracks for those looking to enjoy a day at the races. Hong Kong just happens to be a major center when it comes to horse racing. Horse racing in Hong Kong attracts people worldwide to its tracks to place bets and watch the action.
Here in Hong Kong, many different types of horse races are held, each with its own rules and traditions. If you are interested in learning more about horse racing in Hong Kong or just want to know how to bet on a race, keep reading, and we’ll go over everything you need to know.
Table of Contents
The Hong Kong Jockey Club
The Hong Kong Jockey Club is the first thing you need to know when horse racing in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Jockey Club is one of the largest horse racing operators in all of Hong Kong and is one of the oldest and most prestigious horse racing clubs in the world.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club was founded in 1884 as a nonprofit organization to promote horse racing. The Hong Kong Jockey Club also boasts about its uniqueness in horse racing within Hong Kong. Currently, the Hong Kong Jockey Club operates four racecourses within Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a place that takes its social corporate responsibility incredibly seriously, and they even have one of the largest private charity funds located in Hong Kong. This is one of the largest contributors to the many visitors who come to the Hong Kong race tracks annually.
The Four Racecourses
as mentioned above, the Hong Kong Jockey Club owns and operates four racecourses in Hong Kong. These racecourses are Sha Tin Racecourse, Happy Valley Racecourse, Beas River Racecourse, and Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground Racecourse.
Of all the racecourses, Sha Tin is the largest and is located in New Territories. Happy Valley, the oldest of the racecourses, can be found in central Hong Kong. Beas River Country Park Racecourse is in Tuenmun, while Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground Racecourse is in causeway bay.
Getting to these horse racecourses is relatively easy. However, it is crucial to remember that if you are travelling by train, very often, the station for the racecourse will only be operational during race season.
The Hong Kong Horse Racing Season
Just like everywhere else around the world, Hong Kong has a season where horse racing takes place. Typically, the racing season runs from September to June the following year; however, the peak months fall between December and January every year.
During the peak season of horse racing in Hong Kong, typically, there are around 75 races that take place every day across the four racecourses operated by the Hongkong Jockey club. This means that there is something to see every minute of every day, and you can never get bored.
Types of Horse Races
When horse racing in Hong Kong, there are three main types to look out for. These are the flat races, hurdle races, and steeplechases. Three different types of races keep things interesting for the athletes and spectators.
Flat races are run on level ground without any change in the degree of the ground they are running on, as well as no obstacle in sight. It is a straightforward race. Meanwhile, hurdle races include a series of low jumps or hurdles that the horses must jump over while running. Lastly, the steeplechases are run over a series of high fences and even water jumps which the horses must clear while running.
Betting on Horse Races
Horse race betting is an incredibly popular pastime in Hong Kong, and there are two main ways you can do this: pari-mutuel betting or fixed odds betting. Pari-mutuel betting is where the bettors essentially pool their money together and share their winnings based on the odds of their chosen horse winning. Alternatively, fixed odds betting is where bettors make bets against the bookmaker and receive fixed odds, regardless of who wins and who loses.
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